Shipping container



July 17, 1962 SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed May 12, 1958 2 l6 /6 T. C. COMBSETAL 30 77-/E0D0RE C .C OMBS 16 JA MES M. DOBBIE IN VEN T 0R5 ATToRMr/United States Patent 3,044,658 SHIPPING CONTAINER Theodore C. Combs, SanMarino, and James M. Dobbie, Pasadena, Calif., assignors to ZeroManufacturing Company, Burbank, Calif, a corporation of California FiledMay 12, 1958, Ser. No. 734,707 9 Claims. (Cl. 220-80) This inventionrelates to a shipping container for various types of objects such asmissiles, alignment fixtures, test equipment, optical gear and otherinstrumentation.

Conventional shipping containers have been foundto be quite inadequatewhen utilized in shipping such articles as missiles, complex electronicinstrumentation, and other manufactured devices which are susceptible tocorrosion and to malfunctioning due to exposure to climatic conditions.Conventional shipping containers are unable to cope with such variationsof temperature and climatic conditions and thus the instrumentation andother objects shipped therein are frequently permanently damaged.

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide a shippingcontainer consisting of a plurality of prefabricated parts includingvarious extruded shapes constituting the frame members and verticalposts of the container and adapted to receive a plurality of sheet metalpanels which serve as constituent elements of the shipping container.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a shipping containerof the aforementioned character wherein the frame members and cornerposts of the shipping container are constituted by extruded shapes ofsubstantially rectangular, tubular configuration andwherein said tubularextruded shapes are provided with jaws defining panel receiving slots inthe plane of the innermost walls thereof.

One of the major hazards encountered in conventional shipping containersis the fact that the wall or bottom and top structures thereof arefrequently damaged by juxtaposition of the shipping container to aprotruding object or to an adjacent container. This largely attributableto the fact that, in conventional containers, the

frame members and corner posts are substantially in the same plane asthe panel sections thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shippingcontainer of the aforementioned character wherein the side, end, top,and bottom panels are disposed inwardly in the plane of the inner wallsof the frame members and corner posts and wherein the tubular bodies ofthe frame members and the corner posts serve as buffers isolating thepanels of the shipping container from damage.

A further object of our invention is the provision of a shippingcontainer of the aforementioned character wherein the panels themselvesare provided with a plurality of outwardly directed stiifeners which,due to the recessed location of the panels, have their outermostportions disposed inwardly of the plane of the outermost portions of thetubular bodies of the frame members and the corner posts, thuspreventing said stitfeners from impinging upon adjacent objects orcontainers.

It is frequently necessaryto isolate the contents of shipping containersof the character under consideration here from contamination by theambient air and for this purpose the containers must be pressure tight.Conventional containers wherein conventional joints are utilized are, ofcourse, quite inadequate for this purpose due to the fact that thesealing of the joints between the panel and supporting structuresthereof is extremely difiicult.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a container of theaforementioned character wherein the inner walls of the jaws definingthe aforementioned panel receiving slots incorporate a pluralityofpockets adapted to receive a suitable sealant and adhesive whereby theedges of the panels of the container disposed in the slots defined bysaid jaws may be permanently and securely sealed against theinfiltration of ambient air into the interior of the container. I

A further object of the invention is the provision of shipping containerof the aforementioned character wherein the component parts can bemaintainedin the inventory of the manufacturer and shipping containersof any desired size be assembled therefrom. While in the disclosureappearing herein'below a specific shape of shipping container isdescribed, it is, of course, to be understood that a variety ofdifferent shapes of containers may be provided incorporating the basicelements of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing which is for thepurpose of illustration only and in which: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shipping container constructed inaccordance with the teachings of the invention;

:FIG. 2 is a transverseQsectional view taken on the broken line 2--2 ofFIG. 1 showing a transverse segment of the container;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional-view of a typical cornerpost constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of an alternative'form'of corner post construction; and

FIG. 5 is a transverse, sectional view of an alternative form of framemember utilized in fabricating the shipping container of the invention.

While the construction and mode of operation of the invention will bedescribed in conjunction with a shipping container, it is of course, tobe understood that the principles thereof may be applied with equalcogency to various types of containers and that there is no intentionthat the principles of the invention be limited to the particularapplication discussed hereinbelow.

Referring to the drawing and particularly to FIGS. 1-2 thereof, there isshown a shipping container 10' constructed in accordance with theteachings of the invention, said shipping container being ofsubstantially rectangular configuration and including a top portionlzand a bottom portion 14. The top and bottom portions include and utilizevarious extruded shapes, as will be apparent from the discussionhereinbelow but, in the present embodiment of the invention, the bottomportion 14 is considerably deeper than the top portion 12 of theshipping container 10.

Among the extruded sections utilized in fabricating the shippingcontainer 10 are vertically oriented corner posts 16 which also serve asframe members on the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of saidcontainer. Since the cross-sectional configuration of the corner posts16 is adequately disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing, no crosssection of the corner posts in their location and vertical orientationat the corners of the top and bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shippingcontainer 10 is incorporated in the drawing, it being understood thatthe cross sections of the corner posts are identical with these memberswhen utilized as horizontal frame members in the container 10.

Intermediate frame members 18 are also utilized in fabricating the topand bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10 and the topedge of the bottom portion 14 is defined by rim frame members 20 of theconfiguration shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing. The bottom edge of the topportion 12 of the container 10 is defined Patented July 17, 1962 by rimframe members 22 and 24, the rim frame member 22 serving for the sidesand back of the top portion 12 and the rim frame member 24 serving forthe front portion thereof, as will be made apparent in greater detailhereinbelow.

Each of the frame members and corner posts is, as best shown in FIG. 2of the drawing, of substantially rectangular, tubular cross section andeach is preferably formed from aluminum extrusions since such extrusionsare light-weight, relatively economical and permit the maintenance ofrelatively close manufacturing tolerances. Moreover, a large stock andinventory of standard lengths of the frame and corner posts members canbe maintained and cut to size when the need for a predetermined lengthor configuration of shipping container arises.

At this juncture it appears appropriate to point out that, while theshipping container shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing is ofrectangular configuration, it is, of course, not intended to limit theprinciples and teachings of the invention to a specific configuration ofshipping container since it is conceivable that the frame members and/or corner posts of the invention be utilized in various types ofcontainers such as containers of cylindrical and other configurations.

The corner posts 16 which, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of thedrawing, also serve as horizontally oriented frame members, include anouter wall means indicated as exterior walls and a right-angularlyshaped inner wall means or interior wall 32 which is of thicker crosssection than the exterior walls 30 which include two inner walls meetingat a crest or edge, these inner walls having even thicker extensionsbeyond their junctions with the exterior walls 30, each extension havinga pair of jaw members 34 spaced to define panel receiving slots 36, asbest shown in FIG. 3 of the drawing. The jaw members 34 and the slots 36defined thereby can thus be considered as lying in substantially thesame plane as the plane of the adjacent edges of the interior orinnermost wall 32 of the respective corner posts 16 or can bealternatively considered as being located on the side walls 30 adjacentthe intersections of the side walls 30 with the interior or innermostwall 32.

In any event, when disposed at the corners of the top and bottomportions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10, the slots 36 defined bythe jaw members 34 are adapted to receive the opposite extremities ofpanels 40 formed from aluminum or other desirable material. To insurethat a fluid-tight seal will be attained between the co-opcratingextremities of the panels 40 and the inner walls of the jaw members 34,said jaw members are provided with elongated grooves 42 therein whichconstitute pockets for the reception of adhesive sealing materials whichperform the joint function of sealing the panels in the slots againstinfiltration of ambient air or moisture and of securing the panelsagainst displacement from said slots.

Typical of the adhesives utilized are epoxy resin adhesives, butalternative resins may be utilized if desired.

Also incorporated in the container 10 are the intermediate frame members18, each of which has three exterior walls 44 and an innermost orinterior wall 46 having jaw members 34 at its opposite edges definingpanel receiving slots 36. Thus, the slots 36 in the intermediate framemembers 18 are adapted to receive the contiguous edges of top and bottompanels 48, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. Of course, theinner walls of the jaw members 34 of the intermediate frame members 18incorporate adhesive receiving pockets 42 for the reasons previouslymentioned.

The rim frame member 20 encompasses the upper edge of the bottom portion14 of the shipping container 10 and includes exterior walls 50 and aninterior or innermost wall 52 having jaw members 34 formed upon one edgethereof, an upper wall 54 being provided on each of Cir the sections ofthe rim frame member 20 and having spaced, upwardly directed alignmentand sealing ribs 56 and 58 provided thereupon. The ribs 56 and 53constituting male members, will be described in greater detailhereinbelow.

Of course, the slots 36 in the lowver edges of the innermost walls 52 ofthe rim frame members 20 receive the upper edges of the panels 40 andincorporate the adhesive receiving pockets 42 for permitting thefluid-tight afiixation of said upper edges in the aforementioned slots.

The rim frame members 22 and 24 on the lower edge of the top portion 12of the shipping container 18' are cooperative with the rim frame members20, the rim frame members 22 being located at the back and sides of thetop portion 12 of the container 10 and each of said members includingexterior walls 63 and an innermost wall 62, as best shown in FIG. 2 ofthe drawing, having jaw members 34 formed integrally therewith anddefining slots of the character of the slots 36 previously described asincorporated in the other frame members and corner posts.

A lower wall 66 is provided which incorporates a female alignment groove68 and a seal receiving groove 70 in which is located a seal 72. Thus,the male alignment rib 56 is received in the alignment groove 68 and themale sealing rib 58 engages the seal 72 to provide a fluidtight sealbetween the rim members 20 and 22. It will be noted that the rim members20 and 22 are joined in operative relationship with each other by meansof a hinge 74 at the back of the shipping container 10, but such a hingeis, of course, not dictated in all applications or embodiments of theinvention.

The rim frame member 24 located in the front of the top portion 12 ofthe shipping container 10 includes an exterior wall 60 and an innermostwall 62 having slot defining jaws 34 provided on one edge thereof. Thelower wall 66 incorporates female grooves 68 and 70 which serve the samefunction as the grooves in the previously discussed rim frame member 22.The primary distinction between the rim frame member 22 and the framemember 24 lies in the provision of a continuous groove 76 which isadapted to receive a latch member indicated at 77 maintaining the topand bottom portions 12 and 14 of the shipping container 10 in closed andsealed relationship.

An alternative jaw construction for the frame members and posts is shownin FIG. 4 of the drawing wherein one of the jaws 78 is bent outwardlyaway from the other to define a slot 80 which is open wider at its outerextremity than at its inner extremity to facilitate the entry of thecontiguous edge of a panel into the slot 80. Moreover, the inner wallsof the jaws 78 may be provided with protrusions 82 and co-operatingrecesses 84 so that when the bent jaw 78 is crimped or otherwisedeformed into operative engagement with the contiguous surface of anassociated panel, the protrusions 82 on the inner wall of the jaw willdeform the panel and create a mechanical joint between the panel and theassociated jaws.

An alternative front rim member is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing anddiffers from the previously described and disclosed rim member 24 inthat the jaws 34 defining the slot 36, instead of being directedupwardly to engage the contiguous edge of a panel, are directedlaterally to engage the top panel of a top portion of a shippingcontainer.

The side panels 40 of the bottom portion 14 of the shipping container 10are provided with outwardly projecting integral ribs 92 which serve asstiffeners therefor and which, as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing,have their outermost surfaces disposed inwardly of the plane of theoutermost exterior wall '30 of the horizontally oriented frame memberconstituted by the corner post extrusions 16.

In fabricating the various shipping containers which can be assembledfrom the component parts described in detail hereinabove, it is obviousthat if a stock of lengths of the various extrusions constituting theframe members and corner posts is kept on hand, together. with a stockof sheet material, containers of different sizes and shapes, as dictatedby the ultimate end use thereof,

can be fabricated simply by cutting the frame members and corner poststo the desired lengths and by cutting the sheet material into panelswhich will conform to the dimensions of the openings defined by theco-operative frame members and corner posts. vTherefore, it is possiblefor a manufacturer to keep a supply of raw material adapted for use infabricating a large number of shipping containers in a relatively smallstorage space and it is also possible to fabricate a large number ofcontainers upon relatively short notice because of the simple assemblytechniques which are utilized.

After the panels 40 and 48 have been fabricated from the appropriatesheet material, such as aluminum sheet stock, the edges thereof arewiped with epoxy adhesives and located in the slots of the contiguouspost and frame members. After the various post and frame members havebeen assembled about the edges of the panels 40 and '48, the abuttingcorners thereof, which have been appropriately mitered or otherwiseshaped, can be weldedv or otherwise suitably affixed to each other byconventional techniques.

Among the inherent advantages of the shipping container of the inventionand the tubular shapes constituting the frame members and corner poststhereof, is the fact that the tubular shape of the frame members andcorner posts imparts a rigidity to the shipping containers not found inprior art constructions. Moreover, since the panels constituting theenclosing portions of the shipping container are disposed in the planeof the innermost Walls of the various frame members and corner posts,the container is further rigidified and the tubular portions of theframe members and corner posts serve as hand holds and as buflfer orbumper means whereby the relatively fragile panels are isolated fromcontact with contiguous articles or surfaces and particularly fromdamaging contact with sharp protrusions and projections.

Of particular importance is thefact that the inner walls of the jaws onthe various posts and frame members are provided with adhesive receivingpockets or grooves whereby the individual panels can be secured influid-tight relationship With the individual frame members and cornerposts. It will also be noted that the recessed character Of the panelspermits the incorporation of outwardly projecting reinforcing ribstherein or thereupon. Nevertheless, the reinforcing ribs still havetheir outermost portions disposed inwardly of the outermost Walls of theassociated frame members and corner posts.

If a fluid-tight joint between the contiguous edges of the panels andthe adjacent jaws of the frame members and corner posts is not desired,a mechanical joint may be achieved by the utilization of jaw members ofthe character of those shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing at 78 wherein amechanical bond between the panels and the jaw members is achieved bycrimping the outwardly bent jaw members 78 and the protrusions 82thereupon into operative relationship with the adjacent surface of apanel.

The invention thus provides a relatively simple means whereby shipping,storage, and housing containers of various configurations and sizes maybe readily and expeditiously manufactured and whereby fluid-tightcharacteris tics can be achieved with a minimum expenditure of time andlabor. Also characteristic of the shipping con- 7 tainer of theinvention is the fact that the component elements thereof can bedis-assembled, if desired, after 1 A high-strength panel-sided shippingcontainer providing maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor, saidcontainer comprising panels secured to frame members providing externalprotection for the panels and reenforce ment at the panel edges largelyoutside the container, certain of said frame members each comprising anextruded tubular member having a cross section defined by integral outerand inner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extendinglongitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means including twoinner walls joined at right angles to each other along adjacent inneredges each having a junction zone extending longitudinally of the framemember and spaced uniformly from said inner edges, each inner wallhaving an extension beyond its junction zone forming a part of saidinner wall means and substantially aligned with the corresponding innerwall and integral therewith at said junction zone, each extension havinga panel-receiving slot substantially aligned with the correspondinginner wall and terminating in a bottom wall closely adjacent thecorresponding junction zone, said panel-receiving slot being laterallybounded by side surfaces parallel to the midplane of the correspondinginner wall and embracing a panel edge therebetween, said outer wallmeans being integral with said inner wall means at said two junctionzones and looping right angularly outward therefrom in widely spacedrelation to said adjacent inner edges, the direct distance from eitherjunction zone to the outermost portion of said outer wall meansbeingseveral times the thickness of the corresponding extension therebyexposing said outer wall means outwardly beyond s'aid extensions toprovide hand spaces for lifting the container and its contents. 2. Acontainer as defined in claim 1 in which each extension provides jawmembers bounding said panel-receiving slot, and wherein that jaw membernearest the interior of said containeris longer, in a direction awayfrom said bottom wall, than the other of said jaw members to provide apanel stop for the edge of a panel when the same is aligned with saidslot for insertion thereinto.

3. A high-strength panel-sided shipping container providing maximuminternal rectilinear cubage therefor, said container comprising panelssecured to frame members providing external protection for the panelsand reenforcement at the panel edges largely outside the container,certain of said frame members each comprising an extruded tubular memberhaving a cross section defined by integral outer and inner Wall meanscompletely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of theframe member, said inner wall means including two inner walls joined atright angles to each other along adjacent inner edges, each inner wallhaving an extension thicker than said inner wall forming a continuationthereofand integral therewith, each inner wall and its thicker extensionhaving outwardly-facing surfaces offset from each other at a junctionzone extending longitudinally of the frame member, each thickerextension having a panel-receiving slot terminating in a bottom wallclosely,

adjacent the corresponding junction zone, said panelreceiving slothaving inner and outer sides parallel to the midplane of thecorresponding inner wall and embracing a'panel edge therebetween, thecentral midplane of each panel-receiving slot lying within the confinesof the corresponding inner wall between the opposed faces thereof,saidouter wall means being integral with said inner Wall means at saidjunction zones and looping outwardly from the latter beyond saidadjacent inner edges, 7

said internal space being bounded'to a large extent by the innersurfaces of said outer wall means and to a smaller extent'by theoutwardly-facing surfaces of said inner walls.

4. A high-strength panel-sided shipping container providing maximuminternal rectilinear cubage therefor, said frame members providingexternal protection for the P 1 panels and reenforcement at the paneledges largely outside the container, certain of said frame members eachcomprising an extruded tubular member having a cross section defined byintegral outer and inner wall means completely surrounding an internalspace extending longitudinally of the frame member, said inner wallmeans including an inner wall having an extension thicker than suchinner wall forming a continuation thereof and integral therewith, saidinner wall and said thicker extension thereof having coplanarinwardly-facing surfaces on one side facing away from the axis of saidinternal space, said inner wall and said thicker extension havingoutwardlyfacing surfaces offset from each other at a junction zoneextending longitudinally of the frame member, said thicker extensionhaving a panel-receiving slot terminating in a bottom wall closelyadjacent said junction zone, said slot having inner and outer sidesparallel to the midplane of said inner wall and embracing a panel edgetherebetween, at least one such side having a shallow elongatedadhesive-containing groove extending longitudinally of said slotthroughout the length thereof, each adhesive groove facing the centralmidplane of said panel receiving slot, said outer wall means beingjoined integrally with said inner wall and its extension at saidjunction zone throughout the length of the latter, said outer wall meansY looping outwardly in rectilinear form and returning to and beingintegral with said inner wall means at another junction zone thereofparallel to said first-named junction zone, said outer wall means havinginner surfaces bounding said internal space, said offsetoutwardly-facing surface of said inner wall facing and lying parallel toone of said inner surfaces of said outer wall means to bound a portionof said internal space, the extended central midplane of saidpanel-receiving slot being substantially parallel to and closelyadjacent said outwardly facing internalspace-bounding surface of saidinner wall.

5. A frame member as defined in claim 4 in which said inner and outersides of said panel-receiving slot are respectively on the same side ofthe midplane of such slot as are the inwardly-facing andoutwardly-facing surfaces of said inner wall, and in which saidoutwardlyfacing surface of said inner wall is substantially coplanarwith said outer side of said panel-receiving slot.

6. A rectilinear parallelepiped high-strength shipping containerproviding maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor while providingreenforcement largely outside the container, said container having fourbottom corners each of which comprises two tubular horizontal framemembers extending toward each other at right angles, an

upright tubular frame member extending at right angles to each of saidhorizontal frame members, and three panels at right angles to each otherhaving edges respectively attached to said three frame membersexclusively by adhesive, each of said tubular frame members being atubular member having a cross section defined by in- Y tegral outer andinner wall means completely surrounding an internal space extendinglongitudinally of the frame member, said inner wall means of eachtubular frame member including two inner walls joined at right angles toeach other along adjacent inner edges and bounding a portion of theinternal Space of such frame member, there being a junction zone alongportions of each inner wall spaced uniformly from said adjacent inneredges and extending longitudinally of said frame member, each such innerwall having an extension beyond its junction zone forming a part of saidinner wall means and substantially aligned with the corresponding innerwall and integral therewith at said junction zone, each extension havinga narrow panel-receiving slot substantially aligned with thecorresponding inner wall and closly adjacent thereto terminating in abottom wall closely adjacent the corresponding junction zone, said slotbeing laterally bounded by side surfaces parallel to the midplane of thecorresponding inner wall and spaced apart and receiving the edge of acorresponding panel and of a width only slightly greater than thethickness of such panel, at least one side surface of saidpanel-receiving slot having a shallow adhesive groove facing-the centralmidplane of the slot and extending throughout the length thereof, therebeing an adhesive in such slot and such adhesive grooves thereof, saidadhesive forming the sole attachment between such panel edge and suchtubular frame member, the ratio of depth to width of saidpanel-receiving slot being at least about 3:1, said outer wall means ofeach tubular frame member being integral with said inner wall meansthereof at the two junction zones thereof and looping right-angularlyoutward therefrom around said adjacent inner edges in widely spacedrelation thereto, such outer wall means providing an external crestforming a protective edge of said container, the direct distance fromeither junction zone outward to said external crest being several timesthe thickness of the corresponding extension thereby exposing such outerwall means outwardly beyond said extension and the panel adhered theretoto provide a hand space for lifting the container and its contents.

7. A rectilinear parallelepiped high-strength shipping containerproviding maximum internal rectilinear cubage therefor while providingreenforcement largely outside the container, said container having fourbottom corners each of which comprises two tubular horizontal framemembers extending toward each other at right angles, an upright tubularframe member extending at right angles to each of said horizontal framemembers, and three panels at right angles to each other having edgesrespectively attached to said three frame members exclusively byadhesive, each of said tubular frame members being a tubular memberhaving a cross section defined by integral outer and inner wall meanscompletely surrounding an internal space extending longitudinally of theframe member, said inner wall means of each tubular frame membercomprising two inner walls joined at right angles to each other atadjacent inner edges, each inner wall having an extension forming acontinuation thereof in a direction away from said inner edges andintegral with such inner wall at a junction zone extendinglongitudinally of the frame member, each extension having a narrow panelreceiving slot substantially aligned with the corresponding inner wallwith its extended central midplane substantially parallel to and closelyadjacent the outwardly-facing internal-space-bouncling surface of saidinner wall whereby forces in the planes of said panels are transmitteddirectly to the respectively aligned inner walls, there being anadhesive in each slot forming the sole attachment between the panel edgetherein and the corresponding tubular frame member, said outer wallmeans of each tubular frame member being integral with said inner wallmeans thereof at the two junction zones thereof and looping outwardlytherefrom around said adjacent inner edges in widely spaced relationthereto, said outer wall means having four integral side walls at rightangles to each other comprising two wider side walls meeting in anexternal crest diagonally opposite said adjacent inner edges of saidinner wall means and two narrower side walls extending to said twojunction zones of such inner wall means.

8. A rectilinear container as defined in claim 7, in which eachextension is thicker than the corresponding inner wall from which itextends, each such inner wall and its extension having coplanar surfacesfacing the interior of said container, each such inner wall and itsextension having outwardly-facing surfaces offset from each other atsaid junction zone and respectively facing the internal space of thecorresponding frame member and the exterior of said container.

9. A rectilinear container as defined in claim 7 in which thepanel-receiving slot of each extension divides the latter to form innerand outer jaw members disposed respectively closer to the interior andexterior of said container, and in which said inner jaw member is longerthan said outer jaw member in a direction away from the bottom wall ofsuch panel-receiving slot to provide a panel stop engagea'ble by theedge of a panel to be inserted into such 8101:.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS861,311 Norris July 30, 1907

